sen wyden

Sen Wyden called Jeff Skilling and I subsequently spoke to his staffer,
Joshua Sheinkman.

As you know, Wyden wants to introduce legislation to facilitate disclosure of
operating information about the electric grid and is now looking for more
details. Wyden is not interested in pressing for additional disclosure of
financial information.
The additional details they are looking for include: what information should
be made available; when should it be made available, how should it be made
available and who should make it available. On this last point, I suggested
that the legislation should apply to the transmission system operator,
whoever that is (i.e. it could be an investor owned utility, a publicly-owned
utility, an ISO or an RTO). I also pointed out that FERC could make this
happen by itself, except in the case of public utilities like BPA. Extending
FERC jurisdiction to these entities could be among the main benefits of the
legislation.
Alan, please pull together the recommendations on each of these issues and
forward to Linda. Linda, after we have the information (and perhaps some
legislative language to go with it) please forward to Joshua at
joshua_sheinkman@wyden.senate.gov.
Wyden would like our help in getting Sen Nickles to cosponsor the
legislation. (Linda)
It may also be useful to suggest a letter from wyden to FERC asking them to
use their existing authority to start these disclosures as soon as possible
for those entities wver which they have jurisdiction. (Linda and Joe)